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Medical copays reduce health care access in MS prisons; Israel planted explosives in pagers sold to Hezbollah according to official sources; Serving looks with books: Libraries fight 'fast fashion' by lending clothes; Menhaden decline threatens Virginia's ecosystem, fisheries.

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JD Vance calls for toning down political rhetoric, while calls for his resignation grow because of his own comments. The Secret Service again faces intense criticism, and a right to IVF is again voted down in the US Senate.

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A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

Protective Glasses a Must for Eclipse Viewing

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Tuesday, August 15, 2017   

BOISE, Idaho – Next Monday, the moon will cast a 70-mile-wide shadow on Idaho as it slips between Earth and the sun. It's causing a lot of excitement, as the first total eclipse over the U.S. in 99 years.

While there's no health risk to just being outdoors during a total eclipse, there is danger from looking directly at the sun with the naked eye.

Dr. Don Bucklin, regional medical director for U.S. Healthworks, says it's not only uncomfortable, it can cause damage to the retina, the light-sensitive part of the eye.

"The sun is 400,000 times brighter than the moon, so even just a little rim of sunshine peeking out from behind that moon is enough to really, seriously damage your eyes," he explains.

Idaho is one of 14 states in the path of totality. The eclipse will reach Idaho's border with Oregon around 10 A.M. and leave the state around 1 P.M.

If you're stuck inside, NASA will show the eclipse in real time on its website, and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., plans to be online live from the Phoebe Waterman Haas Public Observatory, answering questions about eclipses.

Bucklin stresses the importance of using the eclipse safety glasses. He explains the eyes work like a magnifying glass - and you could be blinded in about a minute.

"If you're in that total eclipse, you can look at the sun when it's totally hidden by the moon," he says. "If you're not in that area, well then, looking at the sun will damage your eyes. We're talking about ultraviolet radiation."

The last total solar eclipse visible across the U.S. was in 1918. For more information on how to safely view it, visit NASA's eclipse safety page.


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